OnTheMarket introduces behaviour-based pre-qualification to boost agent leads

OnTheMarket (OTM) has launched a range of new tools that aim to boost the user experience for consumer and also make it easier for agents to qualify potential buyers.

Changes include a new “I’m serious” tool that lets users indicate when they are serious about moving to create a more tailored search experience and help them stand out to agents when making an enquiry.

Switching on the “I’m serious about moving” toggle prompts consumers to enter their details to unlock a number of benefits. 

These include time saving one-click lead creation, one-click WhatsApp enquiries for real-time conversations with agents and access to enhanced local market data. 

Sharing key information with agents automatically helps users stand out from the crowd, qualifying the lead and recognising serious movers, OTM said.

Agents will receive pre-qualified leads based on the consumer’s interactions on the portal, such as how often they have visited, how many properties they have viewed, how much information they have provided and details of their buying position. 

OTM said this enables an agent to prioritise which applicants should be contacted first.

There is also a new MyLists feature that lets consumers organise and save their favourite properties in multiple curated lists to keep track of the properties they are most interested in and they can also invite family and friends to view and interact with their saved searches by adding extra listings to their lists and leave private comments.

Users can choose to receive updates on specific properties they have saved as part of their lists and receive alerts when these homes are reduced in price, go under offer, or become re-available. 

To make it easier to find properties in the best location for them, users can now save the addresses of their very important places (VIPs) to see how far listings of interest are from these locations.

VIPs can be a relative’s home, a gym or hospital for example.

Distances to saved VIPs will be displayed beneath the details of properties, adding an extra layer of personalisation to the search. 

OTM has also introduced badges that can be unlocked by users as they complete different parts of their MyPlace profile and interact with various features of the site. 

These badges are designed to encourage movers to provide agents with valuable information ahead of time and demonstrate that they are either sale ready, or a qualified buyer, by answering a few simple questions.  
 

Jason Tebb, chief executive of OTM, said: “I’m delighted to be introducing a raft of new features and functionality that build on the additions we made last year. The evolution of our user offering began with the launch of a new website and since then we have maintained our commitment to building a portal that delivers for agents by optimising the consumer user experience.   

“We believe that this latest set of updates will change the way serious movers search for property and engage with agents. 

“By encouraging users to personalise their profiles via the new dashboard, this in turn provides a more qualitative approach to lead generation. When consumers indicate they are ready to move, we will let the agent know the applicant is serious which will help them prioritise their calls and emails. 

“Many of these innovations have come from our agent customers themselves. As ‘the agents’ portal’,  we are committed to acting on feedback from our members to continue diversifying our offering and explore new ways to engage consumers.”